Montreal Canadiens prospect Logan Mailloux played his first game in a Canadiens uniform against the Buffalo Sabres last night. Despite high expectations from fans for the 2021 first-round pick, the defenseman had a rather challenging game and faced severe criticism from fans on social media.
Indeed, Mailloux appeared rather weak on a particular sequence where he made a very casual defensive play, allowing his opponent to negate the icing and gain possession of the puck. This mistake directly led to the Sabres' tying goal, making the score 2-2.
However, despite this subpar performance, coach Jean-François Houle confirmed that the 20-year-old will have the opportunity to redeem himself today. He will be paired with Jayden Struble on the top defensive pairing due to David Reinbacher's absence. Mailloux will undoubtedly need to elevate his game and play a crucial role if the Canadiens hope to secure a win.
Despite his challenging debut, it's important to remain patient with the defenseman, considering he was playing his first game in nearly five months. It is believed that he will bounce back with a strong performance today. Logan Mailloux undeniably has a promising future, and he just needs time to gain experience.
